As Scorpio is ruled partly by Mars, the god of war, I thought it would be fun to talk about the "war tactics" employed, or the rather, the traps that we fall into when we begin manifesting our best lives. Let's have a look at what the professionals have to say about strategies to "win".

"There is no such thing as accident; it is fate misnamed." - Napoleon Bonaparte

Mistake one:Feeling as if your personal journey has to happen all at once, or that it is not happening at all.

Scorpionic energy is known for intensity, but for the Spider, the intensity reflects how badly they want something to happen. Let go of the how. Soul development is a process that happens every day -- when you are awake, asleep, aware, or not. There are activities we can participate in to accelerate the process, but one of the best-kept secrets of this sacred alchemical evolution is to let things happen without your interference. This is a HUGE lesson during the Scorpio season, but if you do not learn it, you run the risk of usurping the peace you may gain from understanding life's lessons.

"I have no interest in understanding sheep, only eating them." - Hannibal Barca

Mistake two: Not defining for yourself who your tribe is.

Scorpios are known for expecting loyalty from others, but the honest truth is Scorpios are asking for what they give! Scorpios, when highly evolved, can be some of the most loyal people of the zodiac. Sometimes, this loyalty gets in the way when deciding with whom to spend time. While a Scorpio's intuition is usually on target, other planetary aspects may leave the Scorpio a bit guilty. It is okay to want to be around those with whom you want to spend quality time. These same people may even challenge you, and we know that Scorpionic energy loves a challenge! Knowing who is on your team for sure brings clarity, and clarity helps your Soul recharge.

"Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate." - Sun Tzu

Mistake three: Allowing others to determine your destination

As a fixed sign, Scorpio is very steadfast in charting a course and sticking to it. In fact, some may get flustered with how stubborn a Scorpio may be about, well, anything. But there may be some benefit to that -- Scorpios know better than anyone that your evolution is your own, and that means the outcome will be unique to you. The flipside of that is being so passive your personal Work that some may, inadvertently or otherwise, walk all over you with their demands, or you may end up somewhere you had no plans to go. Waiting too long to draw a line in the sand carries many risks. However, trying to fit a square peg into a round hole is no fun for anyone.

Mistake number four:Not participating in, or not allowing others to participate in, your or their own Soul development.

There are little whispers that speak to you every day, and they may say, "Call your best friend," or "Ask your youngest son about ____." These are nudges from the Universe to get involved, and to be a catalyst so that others can get involved, as well. What are you getting involved with? That is for you to determine (smile).

This dedicated Archer stopped by Neptune on her way to Earth to see what it was about. During her exploration, she found Astrology as a little girl and would peruse the astrology section of the newspaper from time to time for entertainment. One day, Saturn decided to reintroduce himself to her and she has honed this interest for the last ten years. Riya lives in San Diego.